Royal Arches trip report

[DavidG]

Well I just got back from a trip to yosemite. I guess there are advantages to having moved from Seattle to San Francisco. I have to recommend this climb. Sure it is only 5.7 and perhaps beneath some of you pacific northwest hardmen; but for those of us for whom fate has chosen permanent gaper status, it is just the ticket. Don't be frightened by the guidebook's description of the fifteen pitches leading to benighted/frozen climbers found at the top by the next afternoon's first ascentionists. Becky would have given it a car to car time of four hours or so.

My climbing partner and I elected to bring a camelback, and four clif bars as provisions. I would suggest an extra liter of water as well. Anything more is going to slow you down too much and make the climb less enjoyable. We also brought a second 60m rope for rappelling.

The approach is a killer 100 yards from the parking lot. Be sure to take it easy to conserve your energy for the actual climbing.

The first pitch is a fun 5.6 chimney, but it's actually a little sketch because the rock is INCREDIBLY slippery. Tall climbers have the advantage of being able to bear hug and sling a large firmly wedged chockstone soon after leaving the ground. This pitch is probably the second most fun pitch on the climb so enjoy it.

The "swinging rope traverse" is actually quite a disappointment. I had visions of running horizontal on a vertical face back and forth to reach some impossibly distant hold across an equally impossibly featureless face. The reality is that you only pendulum about six or seven feet, and if it weren't exposed (last possible grear placement is about 10 feet to the right and ten feet below you at this point) everyone would just climb the 5.9+ face. The rope we pendulumed (is that a word) off of was fixed to the only two non-rap bolts of the entire climb.

The most fun pitch is the thirteenth one marked "5.7 steep" in the supertopo. It's a nice right facing vertical handcrack with bomber hands and feet that just eats up gear. Don't wimp out and do the 5.6 variation since it's considerably more of a yawner. Make sure to take a moment and rest at the top because the rappels are actually quite strenuous on this one (12 double rope rappels). You will also likely be in full hot sun on the entire way down. Besides, the views are incredible.

Overall, I say this climb is doable by any pair of intermediate climbers who can place gear, set up anchors and is comfortable leading exit38 5.9 :0

 

[Bug]

Nice. That was my first climb in Yosimite in 1979. The rotten log was still hanging across the pendulum and was the scariest pitch.

Later that summer I went up to do some variations and got on a hands to fists to offwidth. Half way up I put in my last big piece and looked up. I saw a fixed 11 hex at the top. I looked down. I saw a grounder from anywhere 30' above and beyond. I knew I could climb it so I went for it. It was easy and I was at the hex in no time. I reached back for a sling and popped. I knew my novice belay slave would not know how to reel so my focus was on how I was going to land from 65 feet. I was able to spin around and face out with my hands above my head for balance. Right then, the wall went from vertical to about 80 degrees and I skipped off it like a raw steak. I left several square inches of skin from both forearms on that part as the impact slammed my arms down onto the face. Next I noticed how fast the huge ponderosas were getting bigger 800 ft below. As I approached my point of contact with the ledge, it became apparent that I was going to go into a large bush, so I layed out flat to let it break my fall. At that moment, I remembered a story I had read in grade school about a young sailor who fell from the rigging and went limp "like a sack of potatoes" and was unhurt. I forced myself to go limp as I felt myself hit the bush. My next memory is of me looking up and seeing myself come down through the bush - weird. My next memory is of being in the air after the bounce and coming down past the edge of the ledge. I reached up and grabbed the rope with both hands and swung into the ledge with a foot and a knee. I scurried up to the ledge and sat down beside my belayer. I had hit right in front of his folded legs. If they would have been out stretched, I would have landed on them. He was in shock and insisted that he had held me. I reassured him that he had and started assessing the damage. My fore arms were bleeding but not badly My knee was gashed from the swing into the ledge. It could have taken a few stitches but my knee functioned without pain. I had blisters on my fingers where I had grabbed the rope.

I looked at my arms and they were white. I knew I was in shock and layed down with my feet up on a rock. I kept going over all my parts trying to find something else wrong but I had been very lucky - and stupid. I pulled the rope and we descended in case something internal was not yet noticed. The next day, we went back up and retrieved my gear from the pitch.

 

[Figger_Eight]

Bug said:

Nice. That was my first climb in Yosimite in 1979. The rotten log was still hanging across the pendulum and was the scariest pitch.

Later that summer I went up to do some variations and got on a hands to fists to offwidth. Half way up I put in my last big piece and looked up. I saw a fixed 11 hex at the top. I looked down. I saw a grounder from anywhere 30' above and beyond. I knew I could climb it so I went for it. It was easy and I was at the hex in no time. I reached back for a sling and popped. I knew my novice belay slave would not know how to reel so my focus was on how I was going to land from 65 feet. I was able to spin around and face out with my hands above my head for balance. Right then, the wall went from vertical to about 80 degrees and I skipped off it like a raw steak. I left several square inches of skin from both forearms on that part as the impact slammed my arms down onto the face. Next I noticed how fast the huge ponderosas were getting bigger 800 ft below. As I approached my point of contact with the ledge, it became apparent that I was going to go into a large bush, so I layed out flat to let it break my fall. At that moment, I remembered a story I had read in grade school about a young sailor who fell from the rigging and went limp "like a sack of potatoes" and was unhurt. I forced myself to go limp as I felt myself hit the bush. My next memory is of me looking up and seeing myself come down through the bush - weird. My next memory is of being in the air after the bounce and coming down past the edge of the ledge. I reached up and grabbed the rope with both hands and swung into the ledge with a foot and a knee. I scurried up to the ledge and sat down beside my belayer. I had hit right in front of his folded legs. If they would have been out stretched, I would have landed on them. He was in shock and insisted that he had held me. I reassured him that he had and started assessing the damage. My fore arms were bleeding but not badly My knee was gashed from the swing into the ledge. It could have taken a few stitches but my knee functioned without pain. I had blisters on my fingers where I had grabbed the rope.

I looked at my arms and they were white. I knew I was in shock and layed down with my feet up on a rock. I kept going over all my parts trying to find something else wrong but I had been very lucky - and stupid. I pulled the rope and we descended in case something internal was not yet noticed. The next day, we went back up and retrieved my gear from the pitch.

 

 

Holy balls

[whirlwind]

fukin a

[texplorer]

I agree with DavidG! It's a great route. Just an added note -The log that the "Fifty Classics" book describes and Bug climbed is gone and the route now takes a different path (ie the pendulum is not where the log was). Rumor has it that some yahoo euros finished the log off on purpose way back in the day and were welcomed by getting their asses kicked by some valley locals.

 

I think I know where that offwidth crack that you fell on. Its quite a difficult bit. Highlander and I got off route on that thing this spring. We were soloing the route but brought the rope in case he didn't feel comfortable. I climbed that pitch with no pro and it scared the living shit out of me. Your account was a scary reminder of that experience. I'm glad I didn't take the big one that you did. You are a certified hardman in my book.

[Bug]

texplorer said:

You are a certified hardman in my book.

Thanks but age has had a softening effect.

 

The point I try to stress about this story, is that I made a concious decision to push my limits beyond the safety of my protection and it should have killed me.

It was only by a lot of dumb luck and every shred of determination I had that I survived. I have never climbed that close to my limits since. I have taken long leader falls and zippered aid but I always have been able to be certain where my good protection was and how far I could push myself above it. Learning how to lead is dangerous enough. There is no good reason to make the kind of bad decision I made in 79.

[fern]

DavidG said:

Make sure to take a moment and rest at the top because

the rappels are actually quite strenuous on this one

(12 double rope rappels). You will also likely be in full

hot sun on the entire way down. Besides, the views are

incredible.

 

I heard a vague rumour that the rap route is set for single

rope raps too. If you finish fully into the trees (slab traverse

beyond the rap anchors) there is a nice water spring. If you

think the raps are strenous you probably don't want to hike

back to Camp 4 along the valley rim by way of YosPt, but it

is quite a scenic option, and takes you through an untravelled

piece of the park.

[chelle]

Wow! Bug- glad you're around to recount the tale.

 

A comment about the raps...bring two 60m ropes. A friend of mine was "caught" by a manzanita bush last year when he rapped off the end of his partner's ropes. He was the 2nd one down and the guy ahead of him didn't let him know that one rope had been shortened a few meters. Damn f'ing lucky if you ask me.

 

The walk down the North Dome gully descent isn't as bad as people make it out to be. Just pay attention, go down in daylight and you'll be fine. And the bonus is that there is a natural spring just above the last 5.4 slab pitch so you can refill your water bottle.

[russ]

texplorer said:

Rumor has it that some yahoo euros finished the log off on purpose way back in the day and were welcomed by getting their asses kicked by some valley locals.

 

I was fortunate to climb the rotten log pitch - that just means I'm old. Leading it was spooky - started to tie a sling to it, but then thought "shit, I don't want to be hooked to this if it goes!".

 

Shortly after that the log was gone. I heard two rumors 1) a local pwn climbers pushed it off and 2) that a climbing ranger pushed it off. In neither story did they get their asses kick by locals.....

 

Everyone should do the north dome gulley decent at least once , rapping is aid.

 

Also, take a look at the photo in the front entrance of the down town Seattle REI labeled "Royal Arches". No way, maybe E. Face of Whitney or some other eastside Sierra route.

 

Edited August 14, 2003 by russ

[texplorer]

Thanks for the info Russ, I guess I heard some big made up story about the incident. Your side sounds alot more like reality.

[chris_w]

texplorer said:

Rumor has it that some yahoo euros finished the log off on purpose way back in the day and were welcomed by getting their asses kicked by some valley locals.

 

I know one person in the group that helped push the log off. She was a Member of YOSAR from 83-89. They thought it was way to dangerous and pushed it off. Didn't hear anything about any ass kicking involved.

[Bug]

chris_w said:

texplorer said:

Rumor has it that some yahoo euros finished the log off on purpose way back in the day and were welcomed by getting their asses kicked by some valley locals.

 

I know one person in the group that helped push the log off. She was a Member of YOSAR from 83-89. They thought it was way to dangerous and pushed it off. Didn't hear anything about any ass kicking involved.

This would be worth a TR. Can you contact her and get her to write it up? I would be willing to buy a few beers.